Photographic print basket



June 30, 195 P. E. HIXON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT BASKET 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 22, 1957 IN V EN TORS Eva/ E: ///x CZ Vap 67 449/22- P. E.HIXON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT June 30, 1959 BASKET Filed July 22, 1957INVENTORS P/l/L/P 5 69104 Y Emap Z. Ads :5.

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PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT BASKET Filed July 22, 1957 3 Sheets-Sneet 3 j'INVENTORS 1031/40: 5 ///xcw By [may t? i United States Patent C2,892,393 PHDTOGRAPHIC PRIN T BASKET Philip E. Hixon, Wantagh, and ElmerE. White, West Hempstead, N.Y., assignors toWhite-Hixon LahoratoriesInc, Westbury, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application July 22, 1957, SerialNo. 673,274 6 Claims. (Cl. 95-100) The. present inventionrelates to the processing of photographic sheet material. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a receptacle or carrying-basket,hereinafter referred to as a basket, suitable for use in handling colorprints and to a process for handling color prints involving the use ofsaid basket. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to providea satisfactory photographic print basket. However, prior baskets havehad various disadvantages as a result of which they have. not gainedwide acceptance. One disadvantage of the prior baskets is that they arenot sufiiciently rigid, so that the handling of the prints is madediflicult and the results are unsatisfactory with respect to the qualityof the prints. Moreover, the screening materials used in the priorbaskets left their pattern on the prints. Furthermore, because of thenature of the material. used and the construction of the prior baskets,excessive processing solution is carried over from one tank to the otherduring processing, so that the various solutions soon becomecontaminated with the other materials used in the several steps of theprocessing treatments. As a consequence it has not been possible toobtain, with any degree of consistency, reproducible results of highquality.

It has now been found that the disadvantages of the prior baskets can beavoided by constructing baskets of polyethylene, saran, and othersuitable polymeric screening material. The polymeric screening materialemployed inv accordance with this invention, particularly polyethylene,has a negligible adhesive afiinity for liquids so that the liquidcarry-over, due to surface tension, is reduced to a minimum. Moreover,the polyethylene screening material used is inert to chemicals employedin color print processing. This property, together with its low aflinityfor liquids, makes it possible for the water to flow rapidly from thebasket of this invention.

The features of construction of the present device also avoid many ofthe disadvantages of the baskets heretofore used in the art. The basketof the instant invention is so constructed and arranged that the printsare kept from touching the screening material. Furthermore, the basketsof this invention have the requisite rigidity and are readilydisassembled in order to replace or repair damaged screening material.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide aphotographic handling basket having separators or screens made ofpolymeric material.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a photographichandling basket having separators or screens of polymeric material asWell as structural details giving said basket the requisite rigidity.

, It is another object of the present invention to provide aphotographic handling basket having screens of polymeric material andmeans for preventing the photographic paper from adhering to thescreening material.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a photographichandling basket having screens of polymeric material, which basket isadjustable so that it can handle photographic sheet material of varioussize.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convenientmethod for processing photographic prints which avoids the difiiculty ofthe prior art processes. Other objects and advantages of this inventionwill, be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the drawings wherein preferred embodiments of this invention areshown, I I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a photographic print basket inaccordance withthe present invention,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken, along line. 22 of Figure 1 inthe direction of the-arrows,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view ofa section of Figure 2 illustratingthe details of the V-shaped slot construction at the base of the pocketsas seen in Figure 2',

Figure 4 is an exploded detail view of a portion of Figure 1illustrating the manner in whichthe stainless steel angle is assembledat the corners of the device,

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of one of the screens shown in Figure4 showing the means for attaching the polyethylene screening material tothe bar from which it depends,

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 taken along line 6-6 ofFigure 1 in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 6 taken along line 7-7 ofFigure 6 in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of an embodiment of this inventionillustrating the use of a divider means to accommodate various. sizephotographic paper,

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view ofthe device taken along line 9-9 ofFigure 8 in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of another embodia ment of thisinvention illustrating a two-sectional de: vice which may be assembledfor use in processing a large number of photographic prints.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the basket is designatedgenerally by reference numeral 2 and comprises two end walls 4 and 4, awire mesh floor 5 and a stainless steel frame designated generally byreference numeral 6, which serves to connect end walls 4 and 4 and wiremesh floor 5 together. A series of screens 7 of polyethylene, saran orother suitable polymeric. material are disposed between end walls 4 and4' and are contained within the frame 6 in a manner hereinafterdescribed in detail. Basket 2 is also provided with a pair of handles 3secured to frame 6 as shown in Figure 2.

End walls 4 and 4' are of the same construction, and

comprise a plurality of vertically extending plastic bars 8. These barsare constructed of any suitable plastic material having sufficientrigidity to maintain its shape when the basket is assembled. By way ofillustration, plastic bars 3 may be made of methyl methacrylate polymer.The plastic bars 8 are provided with a plurality of longitudinallyspaced aligned holes. These holes are aligned with holes provided invertically extending side frame members 12.

End walls 4 and 4' are formed by assembling a series of plastic bars 3and positioning a pair of frame mem-. bers 12 adjacent to the end barsoftheassembly. Stainless steel tie rods 16 having threaded ends are thenpassed through the holes provided in bars 8 andas well as those providedin frame members 12. The assembly is held together by means of stainlesssteel nuts 18 which are screwed onto the threaded ends of rods 16'. Endframe members 19 and horizontally extending side frame members 20 areprovided with a hole at each end in alignment with the similar holes inbars 8, near the ends thereof. I members 20 are also secured to endwalls 4 and 4" by End frame members 19 and said frame.

upper end frame members 19 are fitted over the grooved upper surfaces ofthe bars 8 and are adapted to hold ends of rods 22 carrying screens 7 inposition.

The wire mesh basket bottom 5 is preferably made of wide mesh, e.g. #2mesh, stainless steel material and may be retained in place in anysuitable manner. Thus, for example, the bottom 5 may be made integralwith the lower end frame members 19, or may be removably secured tolower end frame members 19 and/ or lower side frame member 20.

As indicated above basket 2 is provided with a series of screens 7 madeof polyethylene screening material carried by rods 22 which aresupported, when assembled, as illustrated in Figure 4. The screens 7 maybe secured to rods 22 in any suitable manner. Thus, Figure 5 illustratesone method of securing the screens 7 to rods 22. In this illustrationrod '22 is shown as a hollow tube, preferably made of polyethylene orother suitable synthetic polymeric material, which receives an end ofthe screen through a slit provided in the tube.

Screens 7 are secured at their lower edges to the stainless steel screenfloor 5 by means of polyethylene thread or cord 24 which is lacedthrough the end interstices of screens 7 and those in bottom 5 along thewhole lower edge of screen 7 as illustrated in Figure 3. This affords aV-shaped trough or pocket 28 adjacent to the lower portions of adjoiningscreens 7.

The mesh of the polyethylene screening used for screens 7 is ofsufficient size to permit easy flow of liquids therethrough and toreduce to a minimum the amount of liquid that adheres to the basket onremoving it from the treating tank. Preferably the polyethylene screensare made of the material known in the art as Linoweave Polyethylenewhich has a #4 mesh.

An important feature of the present invention is the rigidity of thebasket, making for easy handling thereof. This rigidity is provided byusing stainless steel end frame members 19 and side frame members 12 andwhich, when assembled and fastened to end walls 4 and 4 and bottom 5,form a rigid frame.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a basket which maybe readily disassembled in order to replace or repair damaged screeningmaterial. This is effected by simply unscrewing nuts 18 which serve tohold the assembly together and removing tie rods 16, whereupon the frameand plastic bars 8 may be easily separated and the elements removed orrepaired in position.

In the use of the basket of this invention the prints are dropped intothe pockets formed between the polyethylene screens. Normally, twoprints are placed in each pocket in back to back relation. The printsstand on edge and the V-shaped trough at the bottom of the pocketsserves to keep the prints in predetermined position relative to screens7. The prints are moved during the processing by the intermittentdischarge of an inert gas, e.g. nitrogen, from the bottom of the tank.When the nitrogen emerges from the bottom of the tank and enters thebasket it tends, by virtue of the V-shaped trough construction of thebasket, to force the prints away from the screens 7.

Figures 8 and 9 are illustrative of another embodiment of thisinvention. This embodiment is of substantially the same generalconstruction shown in Figures 1 to 7, but shows pocket dividing meansand additional means for making the assembly more rigid. Referring toFigure 8, there are shown two longitudinally-extending divider rodsupporting means 29, each disposed on opposite sides of basket 2. Thebasket is also provided with two horizontally-disposed divider rodsupporting means 30 also disposed on each side of the basket and locatedas shown in Figure 8. Divider supporting means 29 are secured at top andbottom thereof to upper and lower frame members 14 by means of anut-and-bolt assembly 32. Divider rod supporting means 30 is secured atone end to frame member 12 and at its other end to divider rodsupporting means 29.

Each divider rod supporting means 29 and 30 is provided with a series ofholes which are aligned with a similar series of holes in thecorresponding member on the other side of the basket. A series ofaligned holes at the same levels are also formed in the screens 7.Divider rods 34, preferably made of steel, are passed through the holesin the divider rod supporting means 29 and 30, and screens 7 aresupported near their ends by said supporting means.

The divider rods may be used when it is desired to process a largernumber of smaller prints. Ordinarily, the modification of this inventionillustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will contain nine pockets and willaccommodate eighteen 16 X 20 prints. However, by virtue of the dividermeans, this modification is adaptable for use in processing eighteen 8 X10 prints and eighteen 11 x 14 prints at the same time. Thismodification is also provided with an additional means for givingrigidity to the basket 2. For this purpose, it is equipped with astainless rod 35 on each side of the basket. The stainless steel rods 35are suitably secured to the frame members 12 at each end of the basketas illustrated in Figure 8.

The modification of this invention shown in Figure 10 has the samegeneral features of construction as described above, except that thebasket is built in two sections, each section being preferably one-halfthe height of the modifications of this invention described above. Thesections are constructed so that they may be stacked one on top of theother and locked in position. For this purpose, any suitable lockingmeans, for example, hinged locking means 36, may be employed. Thisconstruction enables the processing of seventy-two 8 x 10 prints at onetime, since each of the sections may have nine pockets 2i inches inlength and each pocket may be divided in half by stainless steel dividerrods 34 to give 18 pockets. Each section, therefore, is capable ofcarrying 36 prints.

This invention has been illustrated by several specific embodimentsdescribed above. However, various modifications in design may be madewithout departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising two endwalls, a bottom, a plurality of screens of polymeric material disposedbetween said two end walls, means for removably securing said screens tosaid bottom, removable rigid frame means adapted to hold said end walls,said bottom and said plurality of screens together, said end wallscomprising a plurality of removably secured rod elements having meansfor supporting said screens, and separable bars for supporting rodsthere between the construction and arrangement being such that saidbasket may be disassembled for the purpose of replacing or repairingdamaged screens.

2. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising two endwalls, a bottom, a plurality of polyethylene, screens disposed betweensaid two end walls, means for removably securing said screens to saidbottom, removable rigid frame means adapted to hold said end walls, saidbottom and said plurality of polyethylene screens together, said endwalls comprising a plurality of removably secured rod elements havingmeans for supporting said polyethylene screens, and separable bars forsupporting said rod elements therebetween, the construction andarrangement being such that said basket may be disassembled for thepurpose of replacing or repairing damaged polyethylene screens.

3. A basket according to claim 2 wherein the bottom of said basketbetween said polyethylene screens is provided with a V-shaped trough.

4. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising astainless steel frame, two end walls, a perforate bottom, and aplurality of polyethylene screens all carried by and removably securedto said frame, said two end walls comprising a plurality of verticallyextending plastic bars that are removably secured to each other andwhich are provided with means at the upper edges thereof for supportingsaid polyethylene screen means, said polyethylene screens being disposedbetween said end walls and supported above thereby and also beingsecured along their lower edges to said perforate bottom whereby pocketsare formed whose side walls are made of polyethylene screening material,the bottom of said pocket being in the form of V-shaped trough.

5. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising astainless steel frame, two end walls, a perforate bottom, and aplurality of polyethylene screens all carried by and removably securedto said frame, said two end walls comprising a plurality of verticallyextending plastic bars removably secured to each other and provided withmeans at the upper edges thereof for supporting said polyethylenescreens, said polyethylene screens being disposed between and supportedabove said end walls and also being secured along their lower edges tosaid perforate bottom, whereby pockets are formed whose side walls aremade of the polyethylene screens, the bottom of said pockets being inthe form of a V-shaped trough, and a plurality of removable dividermeans extending through said basket, whereby said basket is adapted foruse with various size photographic prints.

6. A two-section basket for use in processing photographic prints, onesection being adapted to be stacked on another section and removablysecured thereto, each section comprising a stainless steel frame, twoend walls, a perforate bottom, and a plurality of polyethylene screensall removably secured to said frame said two end walls comprising aplurality of vertically extending plastic rods removably secured to eachother, which rods are provided with means at the upper edges thereof forsupporting said polyethylene screens, said polyethylene screens beingdisposed between and supported above said end walls and also beingsecured along their lower edges to said perforate bottom, wherebypockets are formed whose side walls are made of polyethylene screeningmaterial, the bottom of said pockets being in the form of a V-shapedtrough, and a plurality of divider means extending through saidsections, whereby each section is adapted for use with various sizephotographic prints.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS846,109 Johnson Mar. 5, 1907 1,194,321 Randall Aug. 8, 1916 1,232,900Dickson July 10, 1917 2,067,933 Krupa Jan. 19, 1937 2,106,751 Krupa Feb.1, 1938 2,489,892 Jenkins Nov. 29, 1949 2,839,978 Trump June 24, 1958FOREIGN PATENTS 506,553 France June 1, 1920 OTHER REFERENCES ModernPlastics, vol. 25, number 6 for February 1945, page 76 cited.

